LFL Match 18: Amity XI vs United Eleven

Brief Scores

Amity XI:                                              8 / 152 in 20 overs

                                                            Abhinav 67 (49)

                                                            Rajat 29 (23)

                                                            Tushar 2/10 (4)

                                                            Sumit 2 / 28 (4)

                                                                                                                                               

United Eleven:                                      9 / 152 in 20 overs

                                                            Varun 52 (32)

                                                            Anil 39 (40)

                                                            Nishant 28* (18)

                                                            Jyotir 2/4 (4)

                                                            Rajat 2/22 (4)

                                                            (Amity XI won in the Super Over)

Man of the Match:                                 Abhinav (Amity XI)

Star Performers:                                   Jyotir (Amity XI) and Varun (United Eleven)

Complete Scorecard:                            http://bit.ly/1CBMWXt

Dramatic Last Ball Thriller Ends in Deadlock, Decided in Sudden Death

November 30, 2014. The weekend started with one of the finest all-round performances of the year, was followed up by a record-breaking innings, and ended with the most pulsating encounter we have seen yet. The Amity XI vs United Eleven match packed in more twists, turns and switches in momentum than a blockbuster action thriller. Both teams dealt what they believed were defining blows, and both took turns to be stunned by unexpected counter-attacks. On the day, the two teams played like two boxers who would not lose.

Amity Trigger Sensational Collapse, Grasp Advantage

Varun hit an aggressive fifty for United Eleven

Amity XI might have believed that the match was sealed when the two spinners, off-spinner Jyotir and left-arm spinner Rajat, along with medium pacer Mohit derailed United Eleven’s 153-run chase with a spell of 6 for 18 in 21 balls. From an imposing 79/1 in the 10^th over, the batting side was left reeling at 97/7 in the 14^th. The slide began with opener Varun clean bowled by Jyotir off the penultimate ball of the 10^th over. Varun had scored a scorching 52 in 32 balls, including 6 big hits over the fence. Famously, he had pulled the first two balls of the innings (both full-tosses) for sixes, and then knocked another boundary and six to take the run tally to 21 from the first over, a season record.

Jyotir and Rajat Choke United Batsmen

Jyotir bowled a sensational spell of 4 - 1 - 4 - 2

Amity were delighted to see his back, and they got a double bonus when Puneet was run out sloppily the very next ball. He punched a shot to cover and set off for a run, only to realize that Anil hadn’t responded. He couldn’t make the turn back towards his crease and was stranded as the throw came in. Jyotir, bowling his quick off-breaks with remarkable control, clean bowled Kiran in his next over to end with astounding figures of 4 – 1 – 4 – 2. With the pressure of run scoring accumulating at the other end, Mohit struck a double blow in his next over (13^th), picking up Kishore and Tushar off the last two balls of his spell. The credit for Tushar’s wicket goes to Raunak, who ran in from deep square-leg and grasped the ball millimeters off the ground, diving forward. It was one of the best catches of our tournament, and with their opposition 96 / 6, the fielding side now believed they were in total control.

Nishant Sparks Fight Back at the Death

Left arm spinner Rajat clean bowled Sumit in his next over, and then had Rahul LBW plumb in front in the 16^th over to seal the game. From 111 / 8 in 16 overs, there seemed to be no way back for United Eleven. The climax, however, was still to come.

Anil, who had come in at no 3, was still there, watching the disaster unfold from the other end.  He had quietly continued to accumulate runs, and now Nishant joined him and they decided that the chase of 42 from 24 balls was gettable. Harshit bowled a tight over, though, and just when the pressure had reached tipping point, medium-pacer Siddhant allowed the batsmen to get away with 2 loose leg-side deliveries. Nishant obliged, punishing both to the fence. With some hope restored, the very next ball yielded another dramatic turn as the tired Anil was run out at the non-striker’s end, attempting a suicidal second run. He had scored an invaluable 39 from 40 balls, but the score now stood tantalizingly poised at 126 / 9, with 14 balls to go. United Eleven had exhausted their lives; another slip and they were sunk.

Nishant, however, displayed nerves of steel, pulling the next ball over square leg for six. The tension was now palpable, and with 18 needed from 7 balls, Amity XI betrayed frayed nerves and gave their opposition the gift of the match. Harshit bowled a tight dot ball, but with only 3 fielders in the circle, it was adjudged a no-ball. The bowler, noticeably irritated at this lapse, bowled a 7^th delivery, and it realized his (and his team’s) worst fear, as Nishant struck it back over his head for six. The dugout went wild.

6 Balls, 11 to Win, 1 Wicket

Medium pacer Paras had the ball in hand for the last over of the match. It may have been his first, but he stayed admirably calm under pressure. 4 tight deliveries yielded only singles, and with 7 needed off 2, the scales once again tipped in Amity’s favor.

Jyotir plays a straight drive

The next one was just outside the off stump. Shailender swiped a slog, and missed. To the wicket-keeper’s horror, so did he as the ball dipped under his gloves and snuck between his feet for four byes. Team United could not believe their luck. Shailender did not miss the next one. He swatted it to deep extra-cover and the batsmen completed two runs. The wildly oscillating match finally ended tied, and was fittingly headed into sudden death – a super over.

Amity Ride on Abhinav’s Solo Special

The match would not have reached this point without Abhinav’s valiant effort with the bat earlier in the day. The Amity XI opener batted till the 19^th over, most of this time without any support from the other end, for a fighting 67 from 49 balls. A batsman who believes in stroking the ball and timing it rather than hitting big, Abhinav played picture-perfect cover drives and flicks, alternating between punches and glides, and finding gaps with ease.

Jyotir smashes the winning boundary

He is quick on his feet and strong both sides of the wicket. The others in the top 7, however, fell woefully short of giving Abhinav any support, and they slumped to 89 / 6 in 13 overs. The United Eleven medium-pacers, led by Tushar, were bowling razor sharp lines. They might have sealed the game in the 16^th over, had they not dropped two simple catches in two balls. First Rajat was dropped at deep mid-wicket, then Abhinav lifted the ball straight up next ball, only to see it slip out between the wicket-keeper’s gloves.

Abhinav made the fielding side pay immediately with a couple of excellent paddles behind the wicket-keeper off left-arm spinner Nishant. Rajat joined him for a crucial counter-attacking innings, scoring 29 from 23 balls. Their 50-run partnership in 34 balls gave the innings a final push. Tushar was the pick of the bowlers with an outstanding spell of 4 – 0 – 10 – 2.

Super Over

The three best performers (L to R) - Jyotir, Abhinav and Varun

With the sun slipping low over the western horizon and the ground abuzz with excitement, the Super Over began with Tushar and Varun taking strike for United Eleven. As expected, Amity gave the ball to Jyotir. He clean bowled Tushar first ball, and other than a slogged six by Varun, he conceded just one other run, and also ensnared Varun off his last ball. The target was a very manageable 8 runs, and Tushar could not repeat his bowling economy from earlier, conceding two boundaries in three balls. Abhinav and Jyotir, the two best performers for Amity XI, fittingly knocked the winning runs.

Abhinav walked away with the Man of the Match award for his defining knock of 67 from 48 balls. For United Eleven, opener Varun was the Star Performer for his belligerent innings of 52. With a win in two games, Amity are very much in the hunt for a place in the quarter-finals.